Local SEO – Back to Basics

August 28 2017 by adminNo Commented

Search engine optimization may seem like a labyrinth of complicated strategies, but the truth is there are simple things you can do to boost your Local SEO. Here are 3 easy ways you can optimize your site for local searches:

1) Online directories

Your business information is online, whether you put it there or not, because aggregators have created directory listings for you. Now, you may think, “Wow, that’s great that these aggregators are helping to get my business information out there!” Not exactly.

Aggregators will pull information from different sources but cannot verify if the information is correct. If you have switched office locations or changed your phone number since that listing was created, the directory may have the wrong information.

It’s critical to ensure you claim and verify all your local business listings to keep everything up to date. The more consistent your business’ NAP (name, address, and phone number), the stronger local presence your business will have!

2) Google My Business page

Technically speaking, a Google My Business page is just another directory listing. However, the impact of this one listing is so big it needs its own explanation!

Why is a Google My Business listing so powerful?

It allows your listing to show on the local map

You know that map that displays when conducting a search? Those listings are there thanks to their Google My Business page. The more your local presence improves, the higher your listing will display in that map (and may even take one of the coveted “Top 3” spots!).

Google is the most widely used search engine

Each search engine has its own unique features, but Google’s simplicity and availability have made it number one. According to the latest comScore report, 64.0% of all internet searches were powered by Google. This means if someone is doing a search on their computer, tablet, or phone, they are probably using Google!

You can get reviews!

There are many platforms to get reviews, but Google is special. Once you get 5 reviews on your Google My Business page, your star rating will display on your listing when it ranks in a local search.

3) Online reviews

Reviews are vital to your business’ online reputation. You may wonder, “I have testimonials on my website. Aren’t those good enough?” Unfortunately, no.

Search engines do not have a way of verifying the validity of the testimonials on a self-managed website. However, anyone that leaves a review on sites like Facebook, Yelp, or Google, must have their own verified account to leave the review.

So how do you get reviews? Ask! According to a 2016 BrightLocal survey, 7 out of 10 people will leave a review for a business if they are asked. This is huge, because that same survey reports that 84% of people trust an online review as much as a personal recommendation.

Simply put, the more reviews and higher star ranking your business has, the stronger your local presence and higher your local ranking will be.

Ready to get started? Let our professionals help you take care of everything! Don’t forget to use our handy listing scan to see how your business is doing and if we can help improve your Local SEO score.